Edge of Illusion
by Xx-Synthetic-Cyanide-xX
Summary: A warped mind, and twisted reality are all things Silver is capable of dealing with- even the disappearance of his father he can attempt to recover from, but discovering the world as you know it is nothing but an illusion? That is something no-one can recover from. Angsty Preciousmetalshipping. Not for the faint hearted. Now a twoshot
1. Chapter 1

**Edge of Illusion**

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I have returned with a twoshot for Preciousmetalshipping. It is a mind fuck, so try to bear with it. Also, you might want a packet of tissues handy. Anyways, read and review, and enjoy!**

* * *

"Shut up Gold, and quit following me!"

A rather flustered, and not to mention _angry_ red head screeched, receiving stares from the various on-lookers of Azalea Town. His unsympathetic and infamous silver irises shimmered with the intent of hurting the other teenage boy, if he did not heed his warning, and quickly.

The other member of the party just beamed a ridiculous grin, flashing dazzling white teeth, as a hyperactive Aipom, continued to tug at a pair of large goggles that remained nestled in a mass of raven hair.

"Now Silv, I wouldn't call this a mere 'coincidence'. If anyone is the stalker here it is so you~" The dark haired boy provoked, and surveyed as Silver's face became flushed from mortification and imminent resentment, that desired to be unleashed.

"I am NOT a stalker!" He cried. _Ouch, defensive much?_ Gold snickered, as he reached one of his hands up to scratch behind his Aipom's ears, hearing him croon in delight at the much-needed attention.

"Denial is the first stage. Don't worry, I'll help you come to terms with your stalker-ish behaviour, sweetheart~"

The red head's gloved hand's clenched into fists at his side, before he self-consciously told himself that he would not stoop down to the annoying brat's level. He was better than this. With a turn of his head the older teen made his way towards the exit of town, on towards Ilex Forest, completely ignoring Gold's existence, if just for a few minutes.

That idea was going swimmingly, until a certain some-one had started throwing pebbles to grab his attention, and with every one that connected with the material of his black jacket, the more infuriated he become. His whole body tensed, the wrath forever fuelling his heart.

Ever since he had bumped into Gold when he stole Totodile from Professor Elm's laboratory, his life dramatically spiralled downhill. I mean, having a father who was the head of a criminal empire, and dealing with the tragic death of his mother made life just that little more unbearable than for other kids his age. He grew up feeling remorseful, and irate at the cruel unforgiving world that contained him.

If Arceus did exist, then why did he doom his very existence from the moment he was conceived? Why did he tear apart their lives by taking his mother away, and leaving him to the hands of his father; who had no idea how to bring up a son, and run a criminal empire.

He was, to say it- disregarded, and not because his father didn't love him. Giovanni adored his only child, who bore a striking resemblance to the beautiful woman that had stolen his heart all those years ago, it was just he had no idea how to be a father.

He was there for Silver if he ever needed anything; clothes, money, and gadgets so he could fit in with the popular kids and not get bullied, but he lacked emotion and empathy. All the red head desired growing up through life was a cuddle and some reassurance from his father, to tell him that everything would be okay. That never happened.

Instead his mind festered with a warped reality; a place that was so much better to live in, and forget that the real world existed beyond that utopia. However, as the years passed, and his father suffered a terrible loss with Team Rocket, and went into hiding for a few years, that was the final straw that broke the Stantler's back. Giovanni hadn't even left a goodbye note, or any piece of information for the red head to follow; it was as if his father didn't want to be found, and just sought to be forgotten.

That was when the path of thievery approached. Silver was very aware that if he was to grab his father's attention, wherever he might be then the only possible solution was to turn to a life of crime, a life that his father had invested so much time and effort for him to avoid.

That was the sole purpose for stealing Totodile. He didn't care much for the Pokemon itself, just the publicity he would get, and the acknowledgement from his father. He received something much different than he ever expected.

Ever since that day when the annoying raven haired boy, with that stupid geeky smile, and ridiculous oversized goggles had appeared on the scene, and took a gander at his trainer card, his life had changed, dramatically. Silver never expected to bump into him again after their Pokemon match in Cherrygrove City, but yet time and time again, they continued to bump into each other- and this was one of those times. Sadly it seemed the fiery red head was tired of the little game of Meowth and Rattata.

"Gold, I swear to Arceus if you don't shut up-"

"Oh Silv. Don't talk so dirty to me in public, there are people watching~" He teased, waving his hand effeminately in front of him, and earning gasps and displeased stares from the onlookers. Then again, Gold had no shame whatsoever. The black-clad teen chewed the inside of his mouth in annoyance, trying his utmost not to flip out and create a scene for the papers to scream about.

"Just fuck off Gold, and get a damn life!"

With those cursed words out in the open, the angered red head stomped off towards Ilex Forest, praying to Arceus that the raven haired goggle head chose not to follow him this time. The worst time that he could recollect was the time when he had gone into Sprout Tower, in Violet City, determined to steal the HM Flash from the Elder, only his plan hadn't gone as well as he would have liked.

His Totodile had swiftly managed to take out his Pokemon without much of a sweat, but he then received a severe tongue lashing about how he was treating his Pokemon, and that if he wanted to get anywhere in the world he needed to show kindness, and compassion.

This amused the hot-headed teen, who completely dismissed the Elder's ramblings, was only too willing to snatch the HM and make haste. Unfortunately, life had a fabulous way of kicking him repeatedly in the head when he was down.

"Wow, I never expected to see you here" The goggle head beamed, smiling brightly. Silver irises lost focus for a matter of seconds, before re-adjusting, and hardening under his gaze. That brat was back, and not to mention standing right before him once again.

"You again?"

"Yes, it is I. Missed me~?" Gold teased, which caused the black clad teen to supress a heavy sigh, and the intention of raking his gloved fingers precariously down his face.

"Don't you ever shut up!" The red head cried, before hearing the Elder cough abruptly just behind him. With his eyes flaring in anger, he turned to face the robed man, poison lacing his tongue.

"What's your problem, Old Man?!" The Elder's face softened intensely, before he shook his head; pain flashing across his features.

"Who are you talking to?" He asked quietly, his eyes moving from the red headed teen, to the goggle head, who merely smiled with recognition.

"Ah, at least SOMEONE notices me~" Grunting in response, Silver pushed past the other boy, shoving hard against his shoulder, and not caring if he caused pain in the process. Why was Gold 'following' him? All he wanted was to be left alone, he didn't need a friendly stalker to add to his worries, so with that thought in mind he exited the tower, making haste to get as far away from the annoying brat as possible.

**XXX**

Silver always travelled light, just ensuring he had enough provisions for the day, and then making the agonising journey to the Pokemon Mart the following morning to stock up again. It made bunking down at the Pokemon Centre that much easier.

It was late evening when the red head found his way to Goldenrod City, and the lactic acid in his legs from where he had been walking for hours on end was starting to take its toll. He could rest up here for the night, and continue his search for his father in the morning.

He didn't particularly enjoy staying the night at the Pokemon Centre. Charity and good will was never his forte, so why should others decide to shower him in the gifts he willing chose to keep for himself? Still, sleeping in a warm bed was more desirable than sleeping in a tent out in the forest, so the complaints and reservations could remain unsaid for now.

As he paid for his statutory room, with the basic functions; the tired and lethargic red head made his way wearily up the stairs to his room. With little patience, he shoved the key into the lock, and turned, pushing the door wide open. With a heavy sigh, he threw his small backpack on the bed, relieved to finally be able to rest for the night, and to keep away from goggle brain.

Allowing the weariness to sink into his bones, the black clad boy flopped down on the single bed, sighing, as the confines were comfortable, and slowing ebbing away at the strenuous aches and pains that ravaged his muscles. As he allowed his eyes to flutter shut, he was instantly jolted abruptly into animation when a voice teased his ears;

"Wow, nice room."

Instinctively Silver shot up, eyes flaring at the intruding voice, and his anger forever raged on when he witnessed the annoying form of goggle head, standing at the foot of his bed, smiling brightly. The red head struggled into a sitting position, cringing at the muscle pain that shot down his back like surges of electricity.

"How the hell did you get in here?!" He cried, albeit it a little tiredly. This day had been too long for him.

"Urgh, I walked in? The door was open."

"I did NOT invite you in here!" Amber eyes flickered disinterestedly to the wall, and more importantly to a painting. He shrugged his shoulders, not paying the angry red head any attention right now.

"Silver, why do you want to push me away? I'm the only friend you have~"

Mercury irises blinked in shock, attempting to fathom what the raven-haired boy just said. Friend? They were not friends, not even acquaintances. He was just someone who refused to leave him alone. His own personal stalker.

"I am NOT your friend!" He cried, defensively.

"Oh really?" He watched as Gold sat his figure down on the edge of the bed, amber eyes now turning to focus on his companion. Silver would be lying if right now he denied being completely freaked out by Gold's sudden change in demeanour. He seemed so serious right now, completely contrasted to his usual outrageous behaviour. "So why do you always summon me here?"

"I-I…I do not! I don't even have your fucking number!" A small smile etched onto the raven-haired boy's face, and he tried his utmost to supress a laugh that threatened to erupt from his throat.

"You could always ask~"

"Hell no! Just, go away!" With that said the black clad boy turned away, focusing his attention on a particular dirt mark on the whitewashed wallpaper, staring at it until somewhere in his own mind he made it disappear with some unachievable psychic power.

"I can't do that, and you know it." Gold answered, unusually stoic than normal, and this caused the red head to tense up. His head was staring to hurt, pulsating angrily with pain, and an unrelated confusion that just refused to go away.

"Why not?!" Then, within a matter of seconds Gold's face drew closer to the other teen, their eyes blazing intensely into the other, attempting to decipher any meaning behind the words that stung their tongues.

"…because without me, you are nothing~"

**XXX**

For once, good news was on the horizon for Silver, as the regeneration of Team Rocket bought about an apparent change in his once depressed demeanour. Perhaps this signalled the start of his father's uprising, and soon enough they could be reunited once again.

He had spent two agonising years searching, fruitlessly for a man who just seemed to have disappeared off the face of Johto, and Kanto combined, but now this news made its way to his ears, things could only improve.

The only downside to this discovery was that goggle brain continued to haunt his journey, and now it was starting to become something of a habit. No matter where he went, Gold was always there, and he had no idea how the teen was doing it. Was it black magic, or some kind of voodoo? Had he cursed the red head to forever be to the mercy of terrible flirting, and bad jokes?

He had ventured to Ecruteak City, and investigated the legend of the Burned Tower, and as expected; Gold was there once again. It was unsettling how the goggle head remained one-step ahead of him at all times, even when Silver was sure he left him behind and got an ample head start.

They met once again when he arrived in Olivine City, annoyed that the Gym Leader had abandoned the Gym to take care of the sick Ampharos that inhabited the lighthouse. It was something that the red head could not comprehend, and adding Gold to the mix just exploded irrationally in his face, and that was the first time he actually full on punched the raven-haired boy, praying that now he had received the message loud and clear. That was not to case.

A trip to Mahogany Town about the rumours of a Red Gyarados, aided Silver in obtaining another Pokemon, and this time it was a shiny one at that. His father would be so proud of him. He couldn't wait to show it off to him. Little did the red head know that Team Rocket were operating a secret base in the centre of the town, where they were planning to evolve all the Magikarp of the lake using a radio signal.

This could only mean that finding his father was a step closer than he ever envisioned, and the thought was actually quite exciting to the teen. Yes, he hated and loathed Team Rocket; but if their infamous deeds helped flush his father out of hiding, then he could deal with it for now at least.

"Wow, you caught that Gyarados! Good job!" Goggle head praised, earning a disgruntled sigh from the black clad, becoming ever tired of his constant stalking. Why couldn't Gold just go away?

"Do you have no life? Is that why you follow me constantly like a stupid lost Growlithe?" Silver spat coldly, watching as amber eyes contorted to a look of sadness for a few moments.

"Silver, I'm not following you."

"Oh yeah, so what is it then? Coincidence?!" His temper flared once more, and he had to inhale deeply to try to diffuse the situation before anything got out of hand.

"I want to help you find your Dad…" With those words into the open, the red head froze, paralysed completely. How did Gold know about his father? He had never openly discussed it with anyone, then again; it wasn't as if he had friend's to talk to about the pressing issue either. Clenching his gloved hands into fists, he gritted his teeth.

"How the hell do you know about my father?!"

"Does it matter? Anyway, two heads are better than one, right?" As much as it pained Silver to ever ask for assistance from anyone, he knew that the goggle head might actually come in handy in his search. Yes, he had to mentally prepare himself for days of endless torment and grief, but if that meant finding his father at the end of it, he could deal with it for now.

"If it will shut you up, then fine!" At that moment in time, he had never seen the amber eyed so overjoyed, and he was frightened that for a moment Gold was preparing to lunge at him, or something, but was forever grateful when that embarrassing moment didn't come to pass.

"What are we waiting for then! Let's go!"

**XXX**

The search remained fruitless, which only angered the redhead, and caused an intense argument to erupt between the two teens, resulting in Silver storming off, never to speak to that annoyance again. Why did he foolishly believe that Gold could actually help his search? What part of his brain tricked him into believing such nonsense?

As he made his way back towards Goldenrod City to recollect his thoughts and decide on another approach, he overheard a distant conversation about Team Rocket taking over the radio tower, preparing a vital broadcast to summon their leader. Mercury eyes brightened almost instantly. This was it! They would finally find his father! With renewed vigour, Silver decided his first stop would be the radio tower, and contemplate a way of getting inside without getting caught.

Amazingly, with little difficulty he had managed to infiltrate the building without being detected, which was a bonus. Being seen by the lowly Grunt's would be a complication that he could do without. So, Silver remained behind the scenes at all times, watching from a safe distance at how those stupid, brainless drones just stood around, contemplating their next move. How pathetic.

Then, the red head's attention diverted to that of yet another Grunt, who appeared shorter than the others, and considerably younger. He had to be a teenager at best, if not younger. The sight of this strange addition made Silver evermore curious, so he decided to follow this Grunt around the tower, determined to figure out what his purpose was.

Mercury eyes bore holes into the slim figure of the teenage Grunt, and they widened almost instantly when they were greeted by two sparkling amber irises, he swore he had seen someplace before. Either way, the black clad boy followed a safe distance behind, daring subconsciously for the other teen to speak so he could attempt to recognise the voice. And speak, he did.

"Man…this place is huge…" That was it. Silver had all the confirmation that he required, and without giving himself a chance to think about the possible consequences to his reckless actions, lunged at the teen, knocking him forcefully to the ground.

"Hey, what gives!" He cried, flailing restlessly, as Silver's gloved fingers tugged at the Rocket uniform, watching as the other boy whimpered on the ground.

"Did you really think you weren't recognisable Gold?!" The red head screeched with anger, tearing a hole in Gold's t-shirt, and causing the teen to cry out in both shock, and slight arousal at the scenario.

"Silver, cut it out, will ya?! I don't need you stripping me in public!"

"Then get this ghastly uniform off, at once!" The amber-eyed boy panted desperately, as Silver moved off of him, allowing him to readjust his now torn Rocket t-shirt, and attempt to figure out what possessed the hot-headed red head. Mercury eyes glanced away in embarrassment for a moment, before they reconnected with Gold's and hardened almost instantly.

"Sheesh, do you wanna see my naked THAT badly~?" He teased, moving his goggles with his fingers, putting them back into the position they were in until he was mauled by the usually cold and indifferent teen.

"You look ridiculous in that uniform," He stated formally, folding his arms. "I mean, what idiot thinks that by using such a shoddy disguise would actually work?"

"Well, I got this far, didn't I?" The apparent commotion caused by the onslaught had attracted the attention of two unsuspecting Grunts, who merely gazed at the scene. Silver met their stare, hoping that the ominous undertone behind his eyes would have the effect he required.

"Uh…are you okay?" One of them asked, albeit nervously.

"Yes, I am fine."

"Um…who are you talking to?" The other piped up, his eyes expressing severe concern over the upcoming situation. Silence fell over the crowd, as Silver's eyes reconnected with Gold's briefly. He smiled cheekily.

"Lie to them~"

"What?" The red head had no idea what was going on right now. Did the Grunts believe that Gold was one of their own, and that it was merely a battle between the ranks?

"Don't reveal my true identity; I don't think I could deal with that." A wave of confusion washed over Silver, and weakly he rose to his feet, trying to ignore the overwhelming pounding in his brain. Something was wrong, and yet he could not pinpoint what it was. Gritting his teeth, the black clad male turned away from the sprawled out goggle head, and made his way out of the Radio Tower. This was too much, and right now, he needed to try to understand why certain things were having this adverse effect on his psyche.

**XXX**

Back at Goldenrod Pokemon Centre, Silver decided that perhaps he was sleep deprived, and that was the main culprit of the headaches. So, he checked into another room, just as basic as the one he rented some time ago, and wearily trudged up the stairs. Only, he wasn't alone once more.

"Are you mad at me?" It was Gold, and he was following the red head's decent up the stairs, and Silver was too tired to question how the hell he had managed to locate him yet again. Perhaps he was related to a hidden ninja clan, or something illogical like that. Whatever it was, he was far too exhausted to argue.

"No, I'm tired." He groaned, as he shoved the key into the lock and pushed the door open. Gold frowned in sadness, the first sign of genuine hurt to flash upon his usually goofy features.

"Silver, I'm just trying to be there for you, you know? Until you find your Dad that is." His whole body tensed at the mention of his father once more, sending a horrible, gut wrenching chill dancing down his spine. He still needed to find his father, no matter what.

"So…you'll leave once I find my Dad?" He asked, tiredly plopping his figure down on the bed. The other teen wandered over and sat beside him lightly, so light that he hardly made an impression on the beautiful white bed sheets.

"Well yeah. You won't need me anymore."

"I have NEVER needed you, Gold" He spat, turning so his red hair cascaded down the one side of his face, that persistent headache continuing to ravage every single brain cell, until keeping his eyes open became a gruelling task in itself.

"Silver, I'm your friend. The ONLY friend you have." Those words cut deep into the red head's cold heart, causing his eyes to close.

"I don't need you." Gold shook his head, and placed his hand gently on Silver's shoulder, who tensed at the contact.

"So, why do I keep turning up at your every beckon call? Hmmm~?" Gold's words continued to punish the red head, who became more and more confused with what he was trying to say. Silver had never asked for Gold to follow him around, it just happened, and for some reason he was literally everywhere he went, with no explanation of how.

"I don't ask for you to follow me!" He cried in sadness, allowing the anger and the sorrow to finally consume him, not caring about being weak at this precise moment in time.

"Silly Silver, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here." The amber-eyed boy answered softly, rubbing the red heads shoulder affectionately. "So…until you're happy again, I'm sticking around!" And for once, Silver didn't have the energy to bite back with some witty remark. He just sighed, allowing his mind to decompose with every passing second, succumbing to the beautiful utopia.

**XXX**

Three agonising months had passed, and still Silver had no luck in locating his elusive father. Perhaps he was dead, or had left the region entirely, and that was the reasons to why he could not be found? Whatever the reason was, it did little to offer comfort to the hurting red head, who suffered more with every day that passed.

Gold was now following him around constantly, not just merely bumping into him 'coincidentally', and during those months he had actually grown tolerant to the goggle head's weird behaviour. It was amazing, he never once believed that he would actually be able to stand Gold's incessant childish banter, and terrible jokes, yet now it was just normality for him.

Their journey had once again ventured to Mahogany Town, where the red head had managed to capture a Sneasel in the Ice Path, much to Gold's approval. He cheered and complimented Silver on his catching skills, and how well he was dealing with his Pokemon. Not that the red head minded. Secretly he enjoyed being praised; at least he knew he wasn't a complete failure.

"Well done Silv!" Gold cried, bumping his fist against his shoulder, smiling brightly. As the red head attached the new addition to his belt, and prepared himself to walk further into the Ice Path, he heard a shuffling sound; a Pokemon perhaps. Both boys remained on guard, moving in stealth mode around the rocks, and the stalagmites, careful not to make too much noise.

Once they both rounded the corner, Silver narrowed his eyes at the shadowy crouching figure, which he couldn't make out because of the poor lighting conditions. Whatever it was wasn't a Pokemon at least, and was definitely a human. With that thought in mind the red head decided to be brave, and find out just who the intruder was.

"Show yourself!" He demanded, stepping further out so he could attempt to see the figure clearer. The silhouette moved cautiously into a standing position and did not move an inch, which only made the red head more apprehensive.

Nervously, he walked further out, getting closer to the figure. His heart was beating ever faster in his chest, almost congealing in his throat, making it excruciating to breathe. Whoever it was, was very tall, and could easily take him out if he needed to.

"Who are you?!" Silver cried once again, hearing his voice echo in the emptiness around them. His eyes focused intently on the figure, before it moved into a small patch of light, allowing the red head to see clearly, who it was who stood before him. His stomach lurched heavily, and his eyes sparkled with tears as he beheld the image of the one person he had been searching for, all this time.

"D-Dad…?" He stuttered, feeling his legs tremble in both shock, and relief. Seeing the face of his father once again was something that he never thought would be a possibility, and now he was standing right in front of him, all those questions he longed to say just dissipated.

"Silver…" Giovanni mused quietly, stepping closer to the boy, a kind smile etched onto his countenance. "It's been too long…" Just like that, the red head lunged at his father, wrapping his arms tightly, refusing to let go.

"Where have you been?!" He cried painfully, clutching at his father's jacket desperately. "I've been searching for you, for two years!"

"I'm so sorry Silver, I never meant to hurt you…" Excruciating sobs burst from the red head's throat, as he remained locked with his father, subconsciously refusing to let him disappear ever again.

"Well, this is a lovely scene~" Gold mused, smiling. The sudden appearance of his friend's voice, made Silver move away from the embrace to wipe his face. He needed to introduce Gold to his Dad, after all; he was his friend.

"Dad…" Silver started, glancing at Gold, who continued to just smile amicably. "This is Gold…and he's my friend." Giovanni's face altered from relief, to that of confusion, as he stared at the space that Silver referred to.

"Silver…"

"I know, I know…but he's okay once you get to know him, honest!" The red head's brightness, and animation caused the ex Team Rocket head honcho to frown in sadness. This wasn't something he would ever be prepared for, and he did not have the right words, but he needed to tell Silver.

"Silver…there's no-one there." Mercury eyes widened in shock, before he shook his head, and laughed nervously.

"Dad, are you blind? He's standing right here!" He indicated with a gloved hand to Gold's figure, who just stood there, his eyes downcast to the ground. As he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, he murmured;

"I told you…."

"Told me what?" Silver asked, as his father just watched in complete shock, and horror at the scene. As those amber eyes raised to meet beautiful pools of mercury, he just smiled painfully.

"…you made me."

"Silver, stop talking to yourself!" His father commanded, which only upset the red head even more. None of this made sense! Gold was there, right in front of him! He could see him, hear him, and even smell him…so why did his own father not see that?

"B-but…he's right here…!"

"Silver…." Gold murmured sadly, gently taking hold of Silver's hand, trying to fight off the tears. "I am….just a fabrication."

"A-a…wh-what?!" The red head cried weakly, his heart pulsating with pain angrily, confusion-running riot in his mind, warping reality with fantasy.

"I'm not real, Silver. I've never been real. You created me."

"N-no…no…you're lying…! Stop LYING TO ME!" He screamed, which caused his father to wrap his arms tightly around the figure of his son, trying to calm him down.

"Silver, enough."

"N-no…! No…he…he's here…! He…he can't be…" Mercury eye's flooded with tears, as Gold slowly released his hand. He maintained that smile, even though right now Silver was breaking inside, unable to piece together what was happening.

"My job is done now. You are reunited with your Dad, and now…I have to go."

"Y-you can't leave me…please…d-don't go…" He whimpered weakly, his whole body trembling, as slowly, but surely Gold's figure was starting to disappear from sight; his body glowing in a faint white light.

"Remember that no matter what, I'll always be there for you. I am forever your friend." Those words were the last words that Silver heard from Gold, and within a matter of seconds, the image that had been created from his mind was now gone, and a bunch of rocks and stalagmite stood in his place.

And, Silver was almost positive that something inside of him had died along with his fabricated friend; something that no amount of time could ever heal.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Oops, looks like I went an added a second chapter to this oneshot xD that makes it a 'twoshot' right? Either way, prepare for some more mindfuck goodness, people~ Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Two**

It had been exactly two years, six months, five weeks, seven hours and thirty five seconds, since the last time Silver had last seen the fabricated, yet beautiful image of Gold. It had taken all of his father's strength to get the red-head through the devastating news. That the one person who he foolishly believed had been faithful, and loyal to him all that time, was nothing more than make believe, conjured up from a diseased mind.

However, even though he repeatedly told himself that Gold didn't exist, and everything he thought had happened, in retrospect hadn't, somewhere deep inside his decaying mind there was a spark of hope. Silver despondently enjoyed having someone around who always pestered him, who never gave up, and was there every agonising step through life.

Now, he had never felt so alone.

At the tender age of eighteen, the red-head was finally attempting to re-build the fragile structures in his life once more. He now had a steady part-time job helping out at the department store in Goldenrod City, and his father had been kind enough to aid him in getting enough money to put a deposit down on a small apartment, close to the epicentre of town.

As usual, he lacked in social interaction, and any kind of bond with another human being, apart from his father.

He didn't want it.

His heart shattered that day when the truth crashed down upon him like a tidal wave, and broke apart existence, as he knew it. Gold was his stability, and with that now gone, it was excruciating to walk on his own two feet without assistance. Truth be told, even if Gold wasn't real, he missed him like a withered and dying flower misses the rain.

Things just didn't seem right any more.

As if a piece was missing from his mind, and over the years it had desperately attempted to conceal the empty void, only to fail, and end up back at square one.

Now, he was sitting by his bedroom window, silver irises absent-mindedly watching the raindrops hammer against the pane, urgently attempting to figure out the course of life. Without his father, he had no-one who gave a damn about him. He was all alone, and truth be told; it frightened him.

Over the time Gold had materialised, Silver had come to rely on his presence, and overbearing attitude. The fervent and sombre days such as these plagued as a constant reminder to his solitude.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips, as the red-head moved his figure away from the window, and sat down at his desk. He grabbed a pen from the drawer and a piece of paper. Whenever his thoughts became depressing, or solemn, he would write something down to ease that incessant pain that seemed to consume his brain willingly. There was only one person he would write to, even though he knew deep down inside it was in vain.

_Gold,_

_ It's stupid of me to keep writing letters to you even though you don't exist, but for some reason I just can't help it. Every time I write to you, a small part of me lives with constant hope that I might see you again one day, and that you are real. I want to see you again…somehow, even if you annoyed the crap out of me. I miss that._

_ You were the only proper friend I ever had…the only person who ever gave a damn about me. Now, you're gone, and Arceus…I can't deal with that. It's been two years, and I have missed you every single day. I need you back, so please…come back. My father was wrong when he said you weren't real, right?_

_ I mean…all those times we shared, there is no way I could have made all of that up! How could I have imagined someone like you? I am not that creative! I need you to prove everyone wrong, Gold. You always told me you hated people getting the better of you, so where are you now?_

_ I want my best friend back, even though my heart has already convinced itself that it's too late. I don't want to believe that. I don't want to be alone forever…so please…come back._

_ I miss you so much…._

_ Silver~_

As soon as he finished the letter, and the pen willingly dropped from tired fingers onto the desk, his chest heaved painfully, and a never-ending sorrow of pain and anguish consumed the red-head for what seemed like an eternity.

**XXX**

Days past, and the suffering intensified.

His heart yearned to just hear that goggle-heads voice just one more time, or to hear one of his stupid jokes Anything. However, his prayers remained unanswered.

Every day went past as mechanically as the next, hours passing by as if they meant nothing to him. He was wasting his life away, waiting for a sign, anything to prove his sanity. Once again, he received nothing, and slowly the will to continue living in this wretched and cruel world was becoming too much for him.

However, one particular night tilted his world completely on its axis, and opened his eyes a little. All hope almost lost, and the resolve to continue living slowly slipping from his grasp, the red-head closed his eyes in sadness, tears forming painfully, before agonisingly trickling down his cheeks.

It was then he heard it;

"Please don't cry…I hate to see you cry…"

Instantly his eyes opened, desperately searching for that oh so familiar voice in the darkness, the voice he had longed to hear for so many years. It caused his heart to swell in his chest, in both pain and excitement. Did he really hear Gold's voice?

"G-Gold…?" He murmured weakly, fingers incessantly wiping tear tracks from his flushed cheeks. And it was then he finally laid eyes on him.

Gold was stood right at the edge of his bed, his face pained with anxiety; an expression that seemed alien on his once carefree features. Silver tried to speak, attempted to tell the amber eyed boy how much he missed him terribly, and longed to discover answers to the thousands of questions that plagued his mind.

"I'm sorry Silver…I never meant to hurt you."

Just hearing Gold's voice, fresh and loud in his ears, caused the red-head to inhale shakily, his whole body trembling. Right now he wanted to lunge at Gold, to hold him desperately in his arms, just to prove that he was real. He didn't want to ever let him go again, because if he had to say goodbye one more time…he was sure his heart would shatter to a thousand pieces.

The amber-eyed boy gently eased his figure down on the bed, sitting upright, almost nervously. His eyes momentarily melted into pools of silver, before hesitantly flickering away. It was almost as if he were ashamed.

Without thinking, Silver struggled up into a sitting position, his eyes fused on Gold's figure, terrified that if he even blinked then the image would dissipate into the atmosphere, never to be found again. Nervously he shuffled closer, hoping that he could prove his father wrong.

Gold had to be real…he just had to be.

"…please…" He uttered weakly, a lump congealing in his throat, as he apprehensively outstretched a hand out to Gold's figure. "…don't leave me again…"

Amber eyes flashed with pain, as the red head gently pressed his palm flat against Gold's arm, and exhaled shakily. He could feel warmth underneath his fingertips, but a part of him wondered if it was his own diseased mind tricking him into believing this.

"You know I'd stay for you, Silver…you don't have to ask me."

Closing his eyes, Silver allowed himself to collapse against Gold's body, feeling arms wrap around his shoulders, protectively. It was strange. Even if this wasn't real, right now, this was much better than any form of reality, a reality that Silver wanted no part of.

"I've missed you…so much." He uttered painfully, body heaving with sadness, and agony. His fingers gripped onto Gold's jacket, clutching at the fabric, imprinting every smell, every touch, and every word that emitted from the raven-haired boy. He wanted to burn it forever into his memory, to be able to replay any moment in time he so desired, just to keep the pain away, even if only for a minute or two.

"I've missed you too Silv, like you wouldn't believe."

How was it possible that someone like Gold, was nothing more than a fabrication, conjured up from a diseased mind? The red head could not believe any of this, and the longer he embraced the raven-haired boy, the more grip he was losing on reality.

"Stay…forever…" He murmured, eyes closed, not ever wanting to let the goggle head go. Saying goodbye a second time would destroy any ounce of sanity that remained intact. He would just exist, as a hollow and emotionless shadow of his former self.

"Silver…" Gold mused quietly, his voice laced with pain. "I'm not reality…"

"I don't WANT reality!" The reply was abrupt, even for the usual cold indifferent red head, as he felt his heart pound in his chest. Nimble fingers combed through his long hair, soothing the black clad teenager down to a reasonable level.

"…I just want you…" Amber eyes shined with uncertainty, before glancing away. This was so hard, for both of them. Silver was losing the will to fight back, and this was his fault. The manifestations of a warped mind, had led to something catastrophic.

"Okay…" Gold said in a hushed tone, pulling the other boy closer. "I will stay, for you."

**XXX**

Over the coming months, Silver's mental health deteriorated astronomically. He became borderline obsessed with Gold, and this only furthered his father's anxiety about the pressing issue.

This in turn led to the redhead being dragged to the hospital, and given regular check-ups on his state of mind, along with various pills to take every morning.

Of course, the teen was very uncooperative, and refused to take the pills. Taking them would mean Gold might disappear forever again, and never return. That was something he couldn't handle. So, night after night, he flushed the pills down the toilet, watching as the water carried them away.

"It's okay…" Gold soothed, as his arms wrapped around the redhead's waist, resting his head gently on his shoulder. "…you're not sick, Silv. They just don't understand."

He was right. The world, his father included; had no idea about how he felt, or what he needed in his life. This was something he _had _to do because they gave him no choice.

"I can't let them take you away…." He muttered, eyes still staring at the toilet seat, unable to divert his gaze.

"Shhh…"

A soft kiss pressed against his cheek, and the redhead inhaled shakily. How was it possible to feel the softness of his lips, if they were not real? To feel the strength behind his arms, the warmth of his embrace- how could his mind do this to him?

"I-I…need you Gold…" He whimpered, feeling his body tremble with fear.

"Then, let's get away from here." Was the suggestion, and this caused Silver to momentarily close his eyes. The offer was so tempting right now. To just run away from it all, to be with Gold without fear of being judged, or being called 'sick'. It was his twisted idea of heaven.

"You mean…run away?"

"No one understands us here, we are constantly being judged…and for what? They label you as 'mentally unstable' Silver, are you gonna stand for that?"

Grey irises opened and sparkled with uncertainty. Running away, had it really come down to this? Was it the only way to ensure happiness? A soft sigh escaped his lips as he relaxed in Gold's arms.

"I will always look after you, you don't have to worry any more…" The amber-eyed boy's voice was soothing, and in turn made Silver believe every word. Gold wasn't planning on abandoning him ever again, and even if the world didn't understand, he didn't care any more. Existing without Gold was unbearable.

"Okay…" The redhead muttered weakly, feeling a strong resolve swell within. "…tomorrow, we get away from here."

A small smile crept upon the raven-haired boy's lips, and then dissipated as quickly as it arrived. He pressed a soft kiss against Silver's cheek once more, and lingered there, giving him just enough time to blush furiously.

"That's settled then…but for tonight, I suggest we enjoy our time together~" His arms remained snug around the black clad teen's waist, pulling him as close as possible, so close that Silver was sure he could feel the rise and fall of his chest with every intake of breath. He shivered at the closeness, amazed that this was even possible.

Everyone continued to tell him that Gold was nothing but a figment of his imagination, so why could he feel him? Why could he hear the rise and fall of his breathing, the sultriness to his voice? Why could he feel his lips brushing against his neck, and the warmth he provided?

He had too much evidence to believe their malicious lies, because that was all they were. Pure lies.

**XXX**

A gasp erupted from the flushed redhead's mouth, as weakly he covered his eyes with his arm, embarrassed at his own actions. All his senses were on fire, as if his nerve endings were ablaze, sending powerful surges of lava all throughout his body.

His whole body was trembling with sheer lust, unable to supress his heated desire any longer.

"G-Gold…~" He moaned lustfully, as the raven-haired boy peered up at Silver from his resting place between his legs. A smirk tugged at his lips momentarily, before once again he engulfed the redhead's member entirely. Gaunt fingers gripped at the bed sheets, twisting them out of shape, pulling desperately.

How could this not be real? He could feel everything that was happening to him, every languorous stroke of Gold's tongue against his shaft, how warm and wet it felt, and how slowly he was being pushed closer to the edge of oblivion.

His toes curled in delight, as he kept his arm over his eyes, concealing them from view. This was the first time he had been involved with any intimate acts like this, and he was embarrassed.

However, the feelings that were washing over him like a tidal wave were euphoric, and the redhead knew he wouldn't last long.

"A-aaah…~" He moaned again, back arching like a feral Meowth, as the raven-haired boy took him deeper into his mouth, moaning around his member. The vibrations caused Silver to gasp and whine in vain, whole body trembling in anticipation. Gold's fingers danced up Silver's thighs, until they reached his hips and held him in place.

The feeling of naked skin against his own; really proved to Silver that this couldn't be just a fabrication. Everything about this was very real.

How Gold's fingers gently squeezed his hips with every movement of his head, and how his expert tongue was driving him closer to the edge.

"G-Gold…aaahh…~!" He cried, surprised at his own voice, as he panted desperately. Even his legs were trembling, as the euphoria building in the pits of his stomach was starting to increase tenfold. More breathless whines escaped the redheads throat as one particular suckle on the tender flesh caused Silver to tense up immediately.

It was coming, and he couldn't stop it.

"Aaah….G-Gold…I…I'm…gonna…~!"

He couldn't finish his sentence, before crying out lustfully, whole body trembling as he climaxed. The amber-eyed boy remained unaffected and stayed there until Silver's orgasm had finally subsided. The other teen panted, body covered with a thin veil of sweat, as weakly he opened his eyes.

They melted into pools of amber, and without thinking, a smile tugged at his lips. He never expected to be intimate with anyone, but considering Gold meant so much to him, right now none of it mattered. His arm flopped onto the pillow, beside his head, as he attempted to regain his strength.

It was as if Gold had literally drained him.

"You're so noisy~" He jeered, smirking a little, as Silver weakly combed his fingers through his hair, his body completely spent. Right now, he felt exhausted, and the option of falling asleep curled up in Gold's arms was his idea of heaven right now.

As he shut his eyes, still attempting to get his breath back, the redhead allowed his body, and mind to succumb to the overbearing fatigue, and at some point, unwillingly ended up falling into a comfortable slumber.

**XXX**

"No, I will not allow it!" The imperious voice of his father boomed in his ears, and the redhead flinched in response. His heart increased in pace, thundering angrily against his ribcage, as narrow gleaming eyes stared him down, keeping his body fused in place.

"B-but…I-I.."

"Never! Have you heard yourself, Silver?! This is preposterous! Insane, even!"

It seemed Gold had been right with his assumptions, not even his own father could understand his predicament, and even he judged his choices. Why was everyone so against Gold? The raven-haired boy had been a lifeline to Silver, so why was that deemed a bad thing?

"You are not going anywhere! You hear me?! You are to stay here, and when I return we will have a long chat about this." With those words said, the tall and imperious figure of his father left the apartment, door slamming behind him.

A shaky sigh escaped Silver's lips, as his eyes downcast onto the carpet. Why had he been so stupid? Why did he decide to tell his father what he was planning? Did he foolishly believe that there was a shred of hope that someone would believe in him, and have some faith?

"I told you he wouldn't understand…" Gold's voice entered the fray, which caused the redhead to snap his head up quickly. The other boy was leaning against the wall, his posture seemingly relaxed, almost unfazed by the scene that just happened moments prior.

"So…what now?" Amber eyes appeared thoughtful for a few moments, until his face contorted to a look of regret.

"We must leave this place, immediately."

"B-but…my Dad…he…"

"He is nothing but a complication," Gold interjected, his words cold and distant, which unnerved the redhead, but he kept his thoughts primarily to himself. "…he will just get in the way of us. You WANT us to be together, right?"

At that moment, their eyes met and Silver became transfixed by the beautiful sparkling amber irises, that compelled him to comply with Gold's wishes.

"Of course, you know that…" He answered in a small voice, slowly walking closer to the raven-haired teen. His eyes hardened with distaste, as his lips tugged into a heart-breaking smirk.

"He must be eliminated." The fine hairs on Silver's body stood on edge as those words willingly escaped into the atmosphere.

_Eliminated? Did that mean…?_

"N-no…" The redhead muttered weakly, head bowed down so his hair cascaded down and hid his face from view. "I…I couldn't…"

"It's either him, or me, Silv. Your choice~" And as he contemplated his decision, he didn't realise that no matter what path he chose it would always lead to the road of ruin. All ways led to hell, and he was on a one-way trip.

**XXX**

Broken eyes stared into the free standing mirror before him, glaring deeply into the pits of his soul. His whole body trembled with anxiety, and yet there was nothing he could do to stop it.

It was as if he were diseased somehow, unable to be cured, doomed to forever suffer this never-ending torture.

His cheeks were stained from where his tears had streamed down previously, leaving them in a soft red hue. Glassy silver irises were narrowed with pain, as they trailed down the image of his reflection, down to the knife that was held firmly in his hand.

_Was this the choice he had made? Was this what he truly desired?_

"Don't worry about a thing, everything will be fine." Gold cooed from behind, arms snaking around his waist protectively, like demonic Arboks, preparing to strike.

The redhead inhaled shakily, feeling his heart shudder painfully with every cursed beat. He couldn't help but feel apprehensive of his decision, but the longer he felt Gold's warmth surrounding him, the nerves soon dissipated into the atmosphere.

"I'm doing this for us…" He uttered quietly, fingers digging into the cool blade. Gold nodded, pressing his nose against the redhead's neck affectionately.

"Yes, for us. You know I love you, Silver~" Hearing those precious words from the one person he adored more than life, and reality was music to his ears. Weakly he shut his eyes, intending to just feel Gold's presence. He was here, and that was all that mattered.

Then, he heard it.

The sound of the apartment door being unlocked.

His father was home.

"Remember…make it quick. I'll be waiting~" The amber-eyed boy cooed, pressing a soft lingering kiss against his neck, before pulling away, and leaving Silver alone with the twin demons of his mind. He paused for a moment to collect his nerves, inhaling deeply.

"Silver?" His father called out, and that was it.

It was now or never.

There was no time left to waste. He needed Gold in his life, and no matter what, he was going to make sure that he never uttered the words 'goodbye' ever again.

**XXX**

Everything happened so fast, that it just seemed like nothing more than a sick and twisted nightmare, that he would soon wake up from.

Only that didn't occur.

Even when he furiously scrubbed his hands clean of the red liquid that stained them, things were still failing to register. He was trembling, scrubbing hastily at the stains, breaths hitching in his throat.

The knife was quickly discarded into the nearby trashcan, covered in the red liquid, and still things seemed surreal. As broken silver irises watched the water wash away the sin, he exhaled deeply, almost painfully.

Fingers gripped the sink for dear life, as weakly his gaze rose up to the mirror just in front of him.

His eyes were encased in dark lifeless circles; his skin was pale and almost translucent. He looked sick, as if he were literally dying from the inside. Weakly he bought his hands to his face, attempting to wipe away the decay, only it was in vain.

He was a monster. His reflection showed nothing more than an abhorred wretch, doomed for eternity. He just murdered his own father, in cold blood, and now things were finally starting to make sense in his mind.

"Now we can finally be together." Gold's voice entered the equation, instantly calming the redhead. Before he was consciously aware of it, the amber-eyed boy was at his side, smiling in a comforting manner. Silver forced a smile back.

This was what he needed to do, right? In order to keep Gold in his life, sacrifices needed to be made.

Then, his body jolted in shock when the sound of the door being unlocked and opened entered his ears. Someone was home. How could that be? And then realisation hit.

_Shit! His father's body was in the living room!_

Without thinking, the redhead rushed out of the bathroom, and into the living room, ignoring Gold's presence for the first time in forever.

When he got there, his eyes widened in both shock and fear. The body of his father that had once been unmoving on the carpet, was now gone, and the carpet was back to its normal colour and not stained with blood. Panic struck the redhead, unsure of what was going on.

_He killed him! So why was he not here? Had he just injured him, and he managed to get out?_

"You can't do anything right…can you~?" A voice jeered, and involuntarily Silver flinched. _That voice…no…it couldn't be. _Weakly he turned to face the direction and saw Gold standing in the doorway, a demonic smirk smothering his features.

He seemed…different.

"Wh-what…?" Then, suddenly, the redhead groaned, a sudden surge of pain hitting him in the stomach like a bullet. He stumbled a little, unsteady on his legs, as amber eyes burned into shimmering silver ones. That smirk remained, chilling his down to his core.

_No…this wasn't right…_

"You just had to mess EVERYTHING up, didn't you?!" He cried, anger fuelling his normally jovial voice. This caused the redhead to tense in fear, and before he was consciously aware of it, he had dropped to his knees, tears stinging his eyes, and his chest heaving with pain.

"N-no…I-I…"

"You're poison…you ruin EVERYTHING!"

Helplessly he covered his ears, trying to block out the voice, and attempting to ignore the overbearing pain in his stomach. He couldn't understand what was happening.

Why had Gold changed like this? They were going to run away…and be happy.

"St-stop…!" He cried out, before gasping in pain, and clutching at his stomach with his hand desperately. The raven haired boy just stood there, merely watching the scene unfold. The disease of his mind had fully taken effect it seemed.

His whole body trembled under the pressure, and when he pulled his hand from his stomach, he noticed that it had become stained red. Then he realised that the red liquid was blood, and he was bleeding.

Weakly he gazed down, noticing that right under his left rib was a stab wound, and he was bleeding through his clothes.

"I…I don't understand…" He murmured, tears welling up in his eyes, as his hands trembled in fear. How had this happened? He killed his father! He saw him die with his own eyes!

So, why was he bleeding?

"It's the only way we could be together…" Gold's voice returned to a soft tone, and his eyes were pained with sadness. That devilish smirk had gone, now replaced by a sorrowful smile.

Nothing made sense right now. The redhead wailed in sadness as the bleeding intensified along with the pain.

"Don't worry…I promised I'll never leave you. I meant that." Weakly, Silver fell to the ground, fatigue starting to seep into every core of his body. He was too tired to fight it; he wanted to slip away peacefully.

This life couldn't contain him any longer. Here he was judged for just wanting to be loved.

The pain continued to get increasingly worse as he lay on the floor. His eyelids started to get heavier and heavier with every cursed breath. Slowly he was beginning to slip in and out of consciousness, but instead of being terrified, he was surprisingly calm.

This was the only way, now him and Gold could be together forever, and there would be nothing and no-one that could tear them apart.

With that thought in mind, a small smile tugged at his lips, as his eyes closed heavily, and his last breath escaped his lips and out into the atmosphere.

**XXX**

**Fin~**


End file.
